Todd Lodwick earns 20th US Nordic title

Steamboat Springs  Five Nordic skiers from Steamboat Springs finished in the top 10 of Saturday's U.S. Nordic Combined Championships at the Flaming Leaves Festival in Lake Placid, N.Y., highlighted by Todd Lodwick's 20th U.S. title.

"This ranks up there with one of the more memorable national titles," Lodwick said in a U.S. Ski Team news release. "I think I'm almost twice the age I was when I won my first title. It's nice to be in shape; it's nice to know that I can still compete at a top level. With the competition and with the juniors and the team itself, this is not the easiest National Championships to win."

Camerota was 38 seconds ahead of Lodwick when the group hit the skiing portion Saturday. Lodwick caught up relatively quickly and breezed in for the win.

Conditions were wet and windy all day. But for Lodwick, the win was a big step to the upcoming season, especially considering some of the close calls he's had, specifically a bike crash in France while he was watching the Tour de France.

"I've had some setbacks this year but battled through them and tried to keep my motivation high," he said. Saturday "was one of the hardest days of jumping that you could possibly see, but I am happy to have done it."

Bill Demong, Johnny Spillane and Eric Camerota missed the event while recovering from injuries. Spillane hurt his knee early last month, and Demong was held out after a roller ski injury last week. Eric Camerota tore up his knee earlier this year and isn't expected back on skis until January. Demong and Spillane should be healthy for the upcoming season.